, 1887-01-28

.'pt reel AFRAID To do ".
The old couple are seated in their Lest
rolm-their council chamber-the apart
mcni from which all orders are issued.
He i, reclining in an easy chair witt, "a
cushion behind his head; she sits upon
the stove bench. She is a singular
woman. When he speaks, she rcniains
silent and waits until he has finished be-
fore giving her own opinion. II often
happens their opinions are rs opposite as
n yes" is to Il mo; in such case, she
always makes the first small advance;
then he makes u little advance upon his
side; they are no yet wholly in accord:
they consider and reconsider on every
side, and continue to discuss it until they
arrive at last at that unanimity Of opinion
which good spouses should always enter
tain. If they cannot come to any agree
ment by bedtime, they retire; and next
day everything is arranged III the most
desirable way. For thirty years they
have lived thus,
Flori enters the DOM. Until that day
although he had always been allowed
TO he present at the family councils, he
had no voice in them; he sat alway0 mute
near the great clock. He does not sit
there to-day, but sits ut the table. and
leans upon ii with folded arms.
The old man looks ut him, shakes his
head a little. and asks him u few unim.
portant questions; Flori observes:
1t rSust Ike 50 arranged"
The old man turns his head, half closes
his eyes, as if he felt sleepy. and answers:
What ia that you say, Flori!"
II say that if the farm is put in my
name, / can't live all alone"
What do you mean
Il mean | want TO get married"
indeed" exclaims the mother in an
icy tone.
II know a girl, " continues the young
man; Il don't want to waste any time
ovcr the matter; l will be married i'll lif-
teen days from now"
The old man drums upon the table
with stiffened fingers. AT last he asks:
May we be permitted to know who
you are going to marry
'Brona-Brona Stegbrunn.
Indeed" exclaims the old man i'll his
turn. And then, as he says nothing
more, the youth proceeds to explain the
various reasons why he wants to get
married; and he finds 60 many that he
does not need to give the true and only
real reason.
The mother shakes her head, as if to
drive away n fly; the father is absolutely
pctrified. He only opens his mouth TO
say TO his son, just as the latter is on the
point of leaving the room:
Wait n little while; we cannot agree. "
Then he rises, leans upon the table, and
proceeds to speak;
My lear Flori, you have been vast
ing your words on air-try to recall
them. As for me. l have heard nothing;
! do not want to hear anything of that
sort from you! If you want to marry,
you know TO whom it is your first duty
to address yourself. You know hat
your parents can only wish you well, and
can only design what they believe is good
for you. They are not going to give you
Il vito who will not suit you'll Leave this
matter to them. Now you can go.
But Flori does not so.
ia that your answer, father
ut is not n question, you may be per
fcctly certain.
And the mother begins to take part in
the affair:
Have you gone perfectly crazy. Flori;
You could not have made u worse choicel
That girl is just everything which is unfit
for you. Hold your tongue, and don't
answer me, you fool She is Just like
her parents! yes, you ought to have geen
them when they were rich, those peoplel
They would not then so much MS conde-
ecend to look ut us; they were nothing
but silks and velvets. And now that
they have squandered everything they
had-now, when they are beggars-now,
indeed. they would be only too glad to
get our sonl Oh yesl And you think
she is pretty2 I'd like to know where
her prettiness isl I've never been able
TO see it. And a nice housekeeper she'd
make for you-a nice housekeeper. in.
deed! Holy Mother of Godl Wouldn't
there be waste of money, and fine lady
airs enough! Why, my milkmaid's little
fingers worth her whole bodyl Marry a
servant, if you wish, my son-so long as
it is a girl who knows how to work. But
a girl who has been once well off, and
has nothing nowl-neverl SO long us
we live, she'll never put her foot inside
this housel''
The old man shakes his head; the
young man tries 10 reply; the mother
again protests, exaggerates, invents,
works herself into n screaming passion
until the father oxclaims:
Enough of this, Anna: it is all mere
f~oolishness,'
by thunder.' shouts the young man.
stamping ON the floor, II will not permit
Brona to be insulted. | will marry herl'
Fool" exclaims the old man, go
out i'll the yard if you want to shout and
swearl 1t would be n great deal better
for you 10 see that the manure is spread
ON the turnip fields to-day; my arms arc
paining me, and I'm sure it's going to
rain"
Father, - returned the young man,
making II great effort to control himself,
lever since I've been able to use my
hands and feet I've been working for
you'll Many's the time I've been told /
was II fool to keep working like that all
day long, from morning till night, winter
and SUMNER, the son of the family
but l never said anything; | kept on
working, just to please you. But now
things are different; and since you want
TO prevent me from marrying. III do as
] please.'
do just us you pleased"
Neither god nor devil shall prevent
me from marrying
(Somc one knocks ut the door,
Come in,' cries tho old man.
1t is the rural officer, bearing a paper.
What do You var nowY"
Nothing disagreeable; I've just got TO
read this paper to you:
I'm accordance with the law. the petition OF
Lorcnz rurger, called schwandhofer. and of his
wife Catherine Purrer. owners OF the schwandorf
farm, praying tho exemption Of their son from
army service on the ground OF his being the only